


Rowen’s Grand Plan

by BardOfTime



Category: None - Fandom
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-24 18:14:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22222261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BardOfTime/pseuds/BardOfTime





	Rowen’s Grand Plan

I was woken up at eight as usual and was thrown into the same schedule as every other day. Shower, wait for breakfast, go to my room get bored and wander around a little, go to lunch, wander around some more, eat dinner, shower early and go to sleep early. Except today was different, the after lunch wandering was interrupted and I was approached by one of the nuns.  
“C’mon sweet child, you have an interview.”  
“Okay sister Shay.”  
They were walking down the hall to the interview room so he could talk to a potential guardian.  
“I’m sure you’ll like this one. She was a little strange but has been adopting many kids in their early teens for a while, she has quite a bit of money. Kinda reclusive but has a lot of experience with kids, even has a few others right now.”  
“Sound nice, here’s to hoping she likes me.”  
I had already had many interviews before this one and sister Shay had been by my side for all of them. She was an older woman with a darker complexion and cheery optimistic attitude. I had always hoped I would get adopted but I never wanted to be separated from her.  
“Do you think I could call you?”  
“Maybe, child. You could call the orphanage and request me,”She said gently patting my back, “Now go on in. I’ll be right outside the door if it gets to be too much.”  
“Thank you sister Shay.”  
I walked inside the room, anxious as I saw the plain yellow walls. There was a wooden cross by the door that I always feared would fall if closed the door too hard. I approached the plush chair opposite the woman cloaked in black.   
Now with a table between us, she asked, “What’s your name?”  
“Lili Arlette Bare.”  
“Mhm. Do you do well in school.”  
“I do about average. Mostly As and Bs, maybe a couple Cs.”  
I didn’t want to be rude but I kept my answers short. This interview was stranger than the rest as the others tried to ask more personal questions like, “What do you like to do?” Or, “Do you have any friends?” These were the questions that usually ruins the interview as I had one friend and she got adopted last month. I also didn’t have many interests but did have some that these good Christian parents didn’t like.  
“What’s your name?” I ask.  
“Rowen Oliver.”  
Rowen was fairly intimidating. Glassy white eyes that seemingly held no emotion but every truth of life, an empty smile, long black hair held back in an almost Victorian era style. That was just the first things I noticed. She was also frighteningly skinny, long claw like nails, and a black long sleeve dress down to her ankle paired with black heeled boots.  
This was a good contrast to my plaid knee length skirt, white knee socks, brown buckle shoes, white blouse, and yellow cardigan. The only thing girls were given control of was our hair so I kept mine in a short bob with my bangs cut at an angle.  
“What do you like to do?”  
“Oh no,” I thought, “this is where it derails.”  
But I still responded truthfully, “I like biology, and to learn about other religions, especially the old ones.”  
“Is that all?”  
“No, I also like to collect animal skeletons.”  
Expecting her to gasp and look at me like I’m a psychopath, I got up.  
“That’s interesting.”  
I was so caught off guard by this response I stopped dead in my tracks. “Yeah,” I sat back down, “I agree.”  
“Are you okay with me adopting you?”  
This was surprising as we had hardly talked. However, I was eager to get out of there. As lovely as sister Shay was I did not wish to be around the other kids anymore as I was always hiding something from them. I like girls and they didn’t like that. Around four years ago when I was nine, they beat one of the boys for liking other boys. I did not wish this fate for myself and accepted the offer.  
“It would be lovely.”  
“Good.”   
As she got up I finally saw just how tall she was. She towered over everything being almost as tall as the door. This was not a major cause for concern at the time, I had to get ready. I walked down to my room as she approached sister Shay. “I’ll take her.” Was the last thing I heard from her before I rounded the corner and into my room. I was halfway through packing my personal items when there was a knock on my door.  
“Come in!” I shouted.  
Sister Shay came in and hugged me. I hugged back despite my distaste for physical affection.  
“I knew you could do it. This is wonderful.”  
“I’m kinda nervous, what if she’s mean?” This was a minor concern but I was more worried about her not approving of my attraction.  
“You call me! I’ll get you out of there faster than she can oh no!” She said squeezing me tighter.  
“Thanks.” She finally let go of me and I took one final look at her. She was an early crush but that fizzled out as I aged and she became more and more like a mother to me.  
“I originally came here to help you pack. She’ll be done with the paperwork soon.” She said picking up my box of skeletons, “I never understood why you liked these things. They’re too scary for me.”  
“Scary? They aren’t that scary.” I said while continuing to pack up my books, already being done with my clothes.  
“Well Miss I’m not scared of anything, I think they are.”  
She takes no offense to me laughing at her and helps me pack leaving the box of bones outside of my suitcase with a couple of my notebooks.  
“Looks like your ready to go.”  
“Yep.”  
She hugged me again, “Oh! I’m gonna miss you, I’m not supposed to have favorites but you’re my favorite.”  
“I’ll miss you too.”  
“Okay,” She picks up my suitcase and I pick up the stuff that wouldn’t fit, “Let’s go.”  
We walked down the same hallways I’d been walking down since I was three but it felt different. They seemed brighter, wider, less stuffy. I wasn’t happy to leave sister Shay since she was like a mother but that place. That place was ungodly. It wasn’t bad in terms of the conditions or even the nuns, it was the kids. They were rude bullies that I hoped to never see again.  
We reached the exit doors and sister Shay pulled out the key, the key that I’d only seen on field trips to the museum or on Easter when we went to a nearby church. She opened the door and we walked to Rowen who stood near a Smokey grey Honda. I would’ve pinned her to drive a funeral car but this also made sense. It blended in. Sister Shay put my suitcase in the trunk, we said our final goodbyes, and I got in the passenger seat.  
“Ready to go?”  
“Yes.”  
We pulled out of the orphanage parking lot and I saw the sign for one final time. Rowen’s Snow White eyes were paying attention to the road and I watched as the city buildings flew by. Then I watched as the suburbs flew by. Then I watched as we drove past a tall metal fence and into a plain. A large house gradually came into view. I knew she was rich but I didn’t expect this. How was I supposed to go to school?  
As we pulled into the driveway she said, “We’re here, any questions?”  
“Uh, how do I um…” her eyes were terrifying as they were trained on me like a predator to its prey.  
“Go to school?” She finished for me.  
“Yes!” I squeaked out. Damn that was pitiful.   
“There is a school closer in the other direction.”  
“Oh! Okay!” I said forcing a smile. I was so nervous.  
We both got out of the car and Rowen grabbed my luggage, silently leading me to a room.  
“This is yours, we keep the doors labeled so you should make one.” She disappears immediately after finishing.   
The room was nice no doubt. It had a dark wooden desk with a plush black computer chair. The walls were a neutral grey a definite upgrade from the bright pink of the orphanage’s girl’s rooms. There was also a dark wood dresser and queen bed with a nightstand on each side. One nightstand held a black lamp with a round bottom that narrows into the bulb. With a white lampshade that had a grey mountain scape pattern.  
On top of the dresser was a small television with a cellphone to the right and remote to the left.  
I placed my books on the desk noticing a charger for the phone plugged into a power strip next to it. I place my box on the empty nightstand and luggage against the wall next to the dresser. Once I do that I picked up the phone and turned it on. I fiddle around with it finding the contacts and reading them.  
Rowen (Caretaker)  
Eckhard (Blue hair)  
Achelous (Gauges)  
Atalanta (Silver bracelet)  
Serina (Crescent moon choker)  
“Dinner.” I hear Rowen say from an intercom near the door.  
I walk downstairs and see someone with blue hair. Eckhard. I decide to follow him and it proves to have been a good strategy. He lead me right to the dining room. I notice that there are all the others I saw in my contacts. Rowen at the head of the table, Atalanta to her left silver bracelets reflecting the little light coming through the window, Eckhard takes a seat next to her, a boy with gauges to Rowen’s left, Achelous, and Serina next to him. There is one seat left, across from Rowen.  
As I sat, Serina fiddled with the moon charm on her choker and shyly said, “Hi.”   
Eckhard says, “Surprised you found it.”  
“Don’t be rude!” Atalanta snaps. “Hello dear, I’m Atalanta.”  
“Lili, nice to meet you.”


End file.
